


We're Not Alone

by howthemoonsuitsthenightsky



Category: SKAM (Italy)
Genre: Comfort/Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 13:19:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17407664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howthemoonsuitsthenightsky/pseuds/howthemoonsuitsthenightsky
Summary: Marti takes Nico home after finding him on the rooftop where they first met.





	We're Not Alone

Marti holds on tighter than he ever has before, tighter than he even thinks is possible and probably tighter than Nico feels comfortable with, but he doesn’t care. The words of so many people, with their opinions and their ‘guidance’, has been ringing in his ears all week, but now all he can hear is the shaky breaths of the boy beside him and despite the pain he can hear in them, he is glad. 

He holds on, slowly rubbing circles on Nico’s back through his coat, until the warm breaths in his ear even out. Pulling back, his cheek brushes across the much wetter one beside him. Nico’s eyes are closed, but Marti can still see the tears fighting their way out behind his eyelids.

“Hey,” Marti whispers, raising his hands to brush the tears away. Nico flinches at his touch, mainly due to the chill that has gotten itself into Marti’s hands, but he can’t deny that it’s also because of Marti himself. His eyes open involuntarily, and the remaining tears slip down his cheeks, meeting Marti’s hands on their way down his face. “Shall we go somewhere a bit warmer?”

As Marti speaks a light white cloud comes out of his mouth, quickly being blown away into the night. Nico’s breath hitches again momentarily, realising that not only have his actions led to them both breaking into the school at night, but also that he’s making them stand outside on a windy rooftop in December. Knowing that if he tries to tell Marti this, more tears will come, he simply nods.

Marti intertwines their hands before turning around to lead them down. Despite the darkness, Nico can see their pale hands; one grasps firmly, with bent knuckles slightly red, the other is much limper, assuming the position, but not giving into the full embrace. 

With a flick, a torch is shone on the path in front of them, making it easier to navigate through the dark school. At some points there are small descents and at those moments the intertwined hands are separated. However, as soon as they are on the same level, Marti is quick to bring their hands back together once more. Each time, Nico finds that his grasp gets a little tighter and his face gets a little dryer. 

Finally, they climb over the fence that marks the edge of the school grounds. This time, Nico is first over so that Marti can advise him on the positions he needs to put his feet on from inside and then copy his movements. The moment Marti’s feet thump down, Nico reaches for his outstretched hand, slowly bringing it to his lips. His skin is warmer now and Nico relishes in the moment of contact. 

He lets Marti lead them away from the school through the dimly lit streets and, for Nico, towards an unknown location. Time passes strangely. On the busier roads, Nico can feel his heart pounding in his ears, each passing light temporarily blinding him; those times drag. The times he feels better race by. In those moments, the streets are quieter, and he can hear Marti’s voice reassuring and guiding him. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever walked all the way home before,” he jokes on a cobbled street, the corners of his mouth raising in a slight smile, “usually I get halfway, then give up and get the bus anyway.” Sometimes he is more thoughtful, moving his thumb in small circles on the back of Nico’s hand. “I thought you might not still be up there,” he whispers. “I thought you might have left, gone back home or wherever.” He breathes in deeply. “Nico, I’m so happy that you were there.”

And as they walk, he explains. He talks through all his thoughts and actions since the week before and at first it makes Nico tense up again for everything that he has put this boy through, but as he goes on, Nico begins to realise that Marti is smiling, his teeth showing not in a grimace that Nico is used to when someone talks about Nico’s actions. 

Nico pulls them both to a stop. “Why are you smiling?” He asks, his voice coming out croaky after not having spoken in hours. 

Marti looks confused for a moment, then answers, “Because I found you of course. And I found out that you feel the same way about me as I do about you.” He steps closer to Nico, bringing his free had to cup the boy’s smooth cheek. “And I’m here with you.” Marti opens his mouth as if he has something else to say, but then promptly shuts it again. Nico slowly moves his neck round to gently place a kiss on Marti’s palm; the only sign of encouragement he can give. “Look,” Marti says glancing past Nico’s shoulder, “my house is just there, can we go in first?”

Marti lets go of Nico completely to fumble for his keys in his coat pocket. Withdrawing them successfully, he slots them into the lock with a slight knock around the metal edges before finding the hole. Up a set of stairs and through another locked door, they finally find themselves in the warmth. 

Following Marti’s lead as he takes off his shoes and coat, Nico does the same, letting them fall to the floor and feeling the heat creep its way back into his bones. Still following Marti’s actions, he steps behind him through another door and into what he assumes is Mart’s bedroom. 

A small desk lamp sits already on on the far side of the room, atop a wooden desk with various pieces of schoolwork spread over it. Nico notices what he assumes are posters across some of the walls, but as soon as Marti sits down on the bed, the main focus of the room, all he can do is follow him there.

They end up sitting cross-legged facing each other, close to touching, but still far enough apart that Nico can feel the distance. He begins to curl his toes in anticipation.

“This isn’t how I imagined the first time you would be in my bed,” Marti starts to joke, but stops himself, pulling in a deep breath and momentarily closing his eyes. When he opens them, Nico can see them dart around the room, trying to look at anything but him, though they soon settle on his in a tight but reassuring hold. “Look, I’m pretty clueless about a lot of things, about mental illness and love and how to act and say the right thing.” He shrugs his shoulders slightly, making Nico want to laugh at the realisation of how clueless Marti has actually been these past couple of months. “The reason I was smiling was because even though life can be a bit shit and throw us some nasty curveballs, I’ve also gained something amazing from it and I’m happy because, if that’s what you want, I want to be there to help you and to support you and smile with you.” He reaches a finger out to gently poke Nico’s side, a gesture that would normally have the dark-haired boy laughing. 

Instead, Nico can only manage a small smile. “I can’t let myself rely on you,” he replies. “It wouldn’t be healthy, for either of us.”  
Marti shakes his head slightly. “You don’t need to rely on me, you just,” he pauses, “no, need is the wrong word.” He lets his fingers drum against the bedsheets. “I should probably add speaking to the things I’m clueless about. Um, just, will you let me help you? Not all the time and not with everything, but will you let me be someone you talk to?” He pauses to run his tongue along his upper lip. “Will you let me in, I guess?”

Nico’s breath hitches for what seems like the millionth time that night as he remembers all the people he let in before and all the times they abandoned him. Seeing the panic in Nico’s eyes, Marti raises himself onto his knees so that he can wrap his arms around the still cold boy. One hand starts to gently caress the top of his head through his dark hair, whilst the other follows a similar motion on his shoulder.

“It’s okay,” he whispers. “You don’t need to give me an answer now, just let me know when you’re ready.” He brushes his nose into Nico’s neck, trying to reassure him without words. “For now, let’s just sleep, okay?”

Marti can feel Nico nod against his shoulder. He guides them under the covers, not letting go the whole while. Once under the protection of the duvet, Nico lets his arms wind around Marti, moving his head down to rest against his chest. 

Just before Nico falls completely asleep, Marti hears him whisper, “We’re not alone.” A chill runs from the base of his spine to his neck and he feels the corners of his mouth reaching up towards his eyes. A single tear runs from his left eye, falling onto Nico’s soft hair, but this time, it is not borne of sadness and loneliness, but of joy.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this straight after episode nine aired and basically completely forgot about it, so a bit late to the party but hey, who doesn't need a supportive Martino Rametta in their lives.


End file.
